Suction cleaner



March 4, 1947. H. B. WHITE SUCTION CLEANER Filed May 12, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR. HarryB. While dd HHWHHHUMMWW. t v

A TTURNEY March 4, 1947. H. 5. WHITE: suc'non cnmkmi 7 Filed my 12;" 1945 Shaw-Sum 2 ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 4, 1947 I SUCTION CLEANER Harry B. White, Canton, Ohio, assign or to The Hoover Company, Nor

ration 01' Ohio th Canton, Ohio, a corpo- Application May 12, 1943, Serial No. 486,633

The present invention relates to suction-cleaners generally and more particularly to a new and improved dusting tool converter and its connection to the suction cleaner for converting the cleaner from an on-the-fioor unit to an oil-the floor unit.

An object of the invention is to provide a new and improved suction cleaner. Another object is to provide a new and improved dusting tool converter for off-the-floor cleaning. A further object is to provide a dusting tool converter with valve means forrenclosing the power transmitting means in the cleaner suction air passage way. Anotherobject is to provide a dusting tool converterwith valve means actuated by connection with the cleaner body to seal the cleaner nozzle from the suction creating means. Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following specification and drawings, wherein: Y a

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the suction cleaner with parts broken away;

7 Claims.

mitting beit.25 connected to the pulley 20. The power transmitting belt is in thesuction air passageway 12 and is provided with upper and lower strands26 and 21, respectively. The cleaner body is movably supported on front wheels 28 and spring mounted rear, wheels 29, the latter.be-, I

ing provided with suitable unshown means for raising the agitator 24 out of engagement with thesurface covering when the cleaner is. used for off-the-floor cleaning.

The top wall of the nozzle] I is formed with a converter receiving opening or port 3| which is adapted toreceive and seat the elongated end Figure 2 is a side elevation ofthe suction cleaner shown in Figure 1, but with the dusting tool converter in position forbfl-the-floor cleaningr Figure 3 is a section along the line 3-3 of Figure 2 of the dustingtool converter;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of theconverter with parts broken away to show the valve in its normal inoperative open position;

Figure-5 is a bottom plan view of Figure 2 with parts broken away, and l -1 Figure 6 is a section along the line 6-6 of Figure 2.

The embodiment of the invention herein disclosed comprises a suction cleaner having a body I 0 provided with anozzle l I interiorly connected through a suction air passageway l2 with the eye I3 of a fan chamber I4 from which rearwardly extends an unshown exhaust passageway for conveying dirt-laden air intoa dirt-filtering bag l5 removably attached at its lower end to the cleaner body Ill and .at its upper end supported from a handle- I6 pivotally mounted on the body. A housing I! encloses an unshown motor positioned on the cleaner body above the, fan chamber [4 and its shaft extends. downwardly through the chamber 14 where it carries a fan I5 which is pro-.

of a dusting tool converter element 32,. The con-.

verter opening 3| is normally closedby a cover plate 33 pivotally mounted at 34 on the cleaner b0dy= I0 and is pressed to closed position by a spring35. a p l The converter element 32 which converts the cleaner foroif-the-fioor cleaningcomprises a hol- 7 low body having at one end a tubular portion ll to which is. removably connected a flexible hose 31 provided at-its opposite end with a suitable unshown cleaningtool for engagement with the surfaces torbe cleaned. .Adjacent the tubular portion 36 ofthe converter body is ahollow rectangular portion 38 formed with opposed sidewalls 39, 39, a front wall 40 and a rear wall 4|. The

rear wall 41 is provided with a marginal cut-away section defining an opening 44 substantially the width of the suction air passageway l2 and the length of the distance between the forward end 45 of the fanlchamber H to the bottom plate 23,

'so that when the converter is inserted in the cleaner body the opening 44 will connect the .converter 32 with the suction air passageway l2. The front wall 40 is provided with a, slot 48 extending from the lower marginal edge 41 of the front wall and the slot 46 is relatively wide at. its lower end 48 and of less width at 49, the slot-portions 48 and 49. res ectively. being adapted. to receive the belt strands 21 and 26 when the converter is:

inserted in the suction air passageway l2, 1 V

A valve 50 is pivotally mounted on the converter front wa1l40 at the upper end thereof and iscontoured at its lower end to span the space in the slot 46 between the belt strands-26 and 21 vided atits lower end with a pulley 20 in the suctionair passageway l2. The suction air passageway l2 extends from the nozzle mouth 2| .to the fan eye l3 and is formed by a wall 22 depending from thecleaner body and a removable bottom plate 23. An agitator 24 is rotatablymounted in the nozzle l l and is driven by a power transand to close offthe suction air passageway therebetween. The valve 50 is normally urged-to open position by a spring 5! and has one end 52 projecting through an elongated opening 53 in the converter front wall 40 for engagement with the outer surface of thevnozzle top wall 30 when the converter is' properly seated to thereby move the valve 50 to its closed position, in which position l g' v the? valve 50 abuts a lip 54 on the converter front wall 40. In order to seat the converter element 32 inthe'suction air passageway l2, a handoperated latch 55 is mounted on one of the converter side walls 39 and is provided with a lip 56 which engages the inner surface of the nozzle topl wal1 30 tohold the converter in proper position.

In normal 'on-the-floor cleaning,the cleaner body is moved over the surface being cleaned by thelhandle I6 and the rotating agitator 24 dislodges the dirt from the surfacecovering. The

and means on said' valve engageable with the cleaner body to coact with the latterfor moving said valve to slot closing position during said insertion of said converter into said suction air passageway to thereby seal said nozzle from said suction creating means.

, ,2. Ina suction cleaner, a cleaner body having suction creating fan l9 draws the air and-dirt through the nozzle mouth: 2] and suction air passageway l2 and discharges the dirt ladenair into the dirt bag I5. I

For off-the-floor cleaning the agitator 24 is raised out of engagement withlthe surface covering by the unshown nozzleadjusting means andthe cover plate 33 israised to expose the converter port 3|. The converter element 32 is inserted throughthe port H and is of such size as to extend. downwardly-and rearwardly'into seal inglrelation with the side walls 22,22 of the air passageway l2, and the lower. marginal edge '41 of the converter seats against thebottom plate '23. l/The marginal edge 60 of the cover plate 33 is urged by the spring 35 into engagement with theiarcuate portion 6| 'of the converter rear wall 4| to guide the converter 'to' its downwardly rearwardly inclined position, and the converter rear wall 4| contacts the fiat forward edge 45 of the fani chamber M. The converter is retained in proper position by the latch 55 engaging the innerisurface'ofthe nozzle top wall 30.

When the converter is inserted into the suction air passageWaylZ, the belt strands enter the slot; 46 and when the projection 52 on the spring 5| contacts the outersurface of the nozzle top wall 30, the valve 50 is shifted to closed position whereby the valve closes the slot 46 and encloses theibelt strands 26 and 21 and the space therebetween. In this position of the converter, the

nozzle mouth 2|;is out off from communication with the fan chamber l4 andzthe dirt-ladenairr is drawnthrough the unshown dusting tool noza nozzle, suction creating means, a suction air passageway therebetween, a port in said body opening into said suction air passageway for receiving a converter element, an agitator movably mounted in said nozzle, a'belt in said air passageway for moving said agitator, a converter element insert-able through said port into said air passageway between said nozzle and said suction creating means, a' slot in said converter spanning .said belt, a valve on said converter element for closing said slot and the space between the belt strands of said belt, and means on said valve engageable with the cleaner body to coact with the latter for moving said valve to slot closing position during said insertion of said converter into said suction 'air passageway to thereby seal said nozzle .from said suction creating means.

3. A dusting tool converter for suction cleaners having, a, nozzle provided with anagitator, suction creating means, a suction air passageway therebetween, power transmitting. means in the air passageway'for= moving the agitator, and a, 30

port opening to the air, passageway,'comprising a conduit adapted to be inserted through said port into; said passageway between the nozzle and suction creatingmeans, said conduit rhaving' a slot to accommodate the powertransmitting means, a valve on said conduit movable to close sa id slot about said power transmitting means, and means on said valve engageable with the cleaner body for moving said valve to slot closing position upon inserting-said converter into the suction airpassageway to seal said nozzlev from the suction creating means.

4. A dusting tool converter for-suction cleaners of j the type having a nozzle provided with an means; a motor, ya belt in the air passageway zle, hose 3! and converter 32 and that part of the suction passageway I2 betweentheconverter and the ifan chamber, "and the d irt-laden air is discharged by the, fan I9 into thedirt bag l5.

' The foregoing conversion "to oiT-the-floor cleaning can'be made, if desired, while the agita tor r24 and belt 25 are 'moving, and these parts remain in operation while the converter element is'in use; .In order to re-convert toofi-the-fioor cleaning the latch 55 is depressed and the conin said airpassageway for moving saidjagitator,

agitator, suction creating means, anair passageway between the nozzle and suction creatingconnected to the motor and agitator to drive the latter, and a port opening to the air passageway, comprising: a conduit adapted to be-inser'ted inja rectilinear direction through the port into the air passageway between the nozzle and suction creating means, said conduit having an opening in one wall and a slot in an oppositely disposed wall through which the beltpasses, said opening accommodating the belt and at a'll'times communicating with the suction creating means, said slot receiving -'the belt, a valve movably mounted onsaid conduit to close said slot about the belt, and means on'said valveengageable with the cleaner body to coact therewith. during said 1 rectilinear movement ofsaid conduit'for: moving a converter element insertable through said port into? said air passageway between said nozzle and said? suction creating means, aslot in saidcone verter spanning said power transmitting means, a valve on said converter for closing said slot in said converter and enclosing said power transmitting means when said converter is in position,

said valve to said slotclosing position to seal the nozzle from thesuction creating means.

5. In a suction cleaner, a cleaner body having a nozzle, suction creating means, a suction air passageway therebetween, a port in said'body opening into said suction air passageway for receiving a converter element, an agitator movably mounted ins'aid nozzle, power transmitting means in said air'passageway' for moving said agitator, a converter element insertable in a rectilinear directionthrough said'port into said air passageway between said nozzle and said-suction creating means, a slot in said converter spanningsaid power transmitting means/a valve movably mounted on said converter element for enclosing said power transmitting means, and valve actuating means on said converter engageable with the cleaner body, said actuating means being operated by said engagement with the cleaner 7 body to move said valve-to enclose said power transmitting means and seal said nozzle from said suction creating means during said rectilinear movement of said converter-into said air passaid conduit movable to close said slot about said I date the powertransmitting means, a valve on power transmitting means, and means connected to said valve engageable'withthe cleaner body during said rectilinear movement of said conduit to effect movement of said valve to said slot closing position. 1 U

'lQIn a suction cleaner, a cleaner body having a nozzle, suction creating means, a suction air passageway therebetween, a port in said body v opening into said suction air passageway for 6 receiving a converter element, an agitator movablyt mounted in said nozzle, power transmitting means in said air passageway for moving said agitator, a converter element insertable through said port, into said air passageway betweensaid nozzle and said suction. creating means,,a slot in said converter spanning said power transmitting means, and valve means on said converter for closingsaid slot in said converter and enclosing said power transmitting means when said .converter is in position in said passageway, said valve means including means engageable with the cleaner body and operative inresponse to such engagement to move 'said valve means to slot closing position during said insertion of said converter into said suction air passageway to thereby seal said nozzle from said suction creating means.

HARRY B. WHITE.

7 REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

STATES PATENTS Number T Name Date 2,080,480" Hoover May 18, 1937 2,172,960 Kilpatrick I u Sept. 12, 1939 1,660,331] Frantz Feb. 28, 1928 Severance Feb. 1, 1944 i 

